Altrincham Ice Rink is conveniently situated in the centre of Altrincham and is the only ice rink in the Greater Manchester area. Previously known as Silver Blades Ice Rink Altrincham, it is currently the home of the Manchester Storm Ice Hockey team.
It is home to a number of ice hockey teams, including the Manchester Storm of the Elite Ice Hockey League and the Altrincham Aces of the NIHL North 2 division. The rink is just one of 41 ice rinks in the UK that are home to competitive ice hockey teams.
Information For Altrincham Ice Rink
Transportation To Altrincham Ice Rink
- Road – Most people will come into Altrincham from either the M60 (Jnc 7) to the north or from the M56 (Jnc 7 or 8) from the south. Either way, it will take you around 15 minutes to get from the motorway to Planet Ice Altrincham. Note that there is no westbound access at Jnc 7 of the M56 and no eastbound access at Jnc 8.
- Rail – Altrincham Ice Rink is conveniently located next to Altrincham Railway Station. The station is on the line from Manchester Picadilly to Chester, and it will take around 30 minutes to travel from Manchester. Check Trainline for train times and prices.
Altrincham Ice Rink Parking
Altrincham Ice Rink’s city centre location has many parking options. The most convenient is Oakfield Car Park at the ice rink. This car park has 300 spaces and charges £1 per hour from Mon-Sat, 8 am to 6 pm.
The Stamford Quarter multi-storey car park in the town centre is a similar-priced alternative for parking at Planet Ice Altrincham. It is around a ten-minute walk from the rink.
If you want to save a few pounds, Balmoral Road Car Park has the lowest cost for parking at Planet Ice Altrincham. It charges just 50p for 3 hours, or £1.20 for 3 hours or more. It’s a 5-10 minute walk from Altrincham ice rink, but it is a small car park, so don’t rely on getting a space.
Ice Hockey Team Manchester Storm
Manchester Storm is an ice hockey team playing in the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) and based at Planet Ice Altrincham.
The EIHL is the highest-level professional league in the UK, with 10 teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) Teams
| Belfast Giants | Glasgow Clan |
| Cardiff Devils | Guildford Flames |
| Coventry Blaze | Manchester Storm |
| Dundee Stars | Nottingham Panthers |
| Fife Flyers | Sheffield Steelers |
The season runs from September to March/April, and the teams will play two (sometimes three) games a week, one home and one away. The most common days for ice hockey matches are Saturday and Sunday, but the team will play some on Fridays or mid-week.
These ice hockey matches include those played in the league and for the Challenge Cup. Most of the cup games are played early in the season.
Manchester Storm Ice Hockey Team Contacts
| Manchester Storm | Contacts & Social Media |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.manchesterstorm.com/ |
| Email: General Enquiries | jt@storm-office.com |
| Email: Box Office | altrincham@planet-ice.co.uk |
| Phone: Box Office | 0161-926-8782 |
| @McrStormOfficial | |
| @Manc_Storm | |
| @manchester_storm | |
| You Tube | ManchesterStormTV |
| HOME GAME TICKETS | Buy Tickets |
Ice Hockey Team Altrincham Aces
Altrincham Aces is an ice hockey team playing in the UK’s NIHL 2 North (Laidler) division. The team is based at Planet Ice Altrincham.
The amateur NIHL 2 league is the fourth-highest in the UK, behind the EIHL, NIHL National and NIHL 1 leagues. Nine teams compete in the northern division (see below), and thirteen teams compete in the southern division.
NIHL 2 North (Laidler) Teams
| Altrincham Aces | Nottingham Lions 2 |
| Billingham Buccanneers | Sheffield Titans |
| Bradford Bulldogs | Sutton Sting |
| Coventry NIHL Blaze | Telford Tigers 2 |
| Kingston Sharks |
The teams charge for entry to games, generally £5-£10 for a non-concessionary adult and reduced rates for children and OAPs.
NIHL 2 North teams compete for the regular season and playoff titles and for the Laidler Cup. The regular season runs from September to late March, and the season concludes in early April with a playoff weekend for the semi-final and final games.
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Do you want to know where to park at Planet Ice Coventry, which league the Bristol Pitbulls play in, or what the offside rule is in ice hockey?
We have the answers to these and many more questions.
Altrincham Ice Rink Seating & Away Fan Blocks
Manchester Storm tickets give you assigned seating. Away fan seating at Planet Ice Altrincham is in blocks 115, 116 & 117. We have found that the views at the Altrincham ice rink are better the closer you are to the centre of the arena, and block 115 is the most central away block.
However, there is usually some spare seating, so you can always move if necessary.
Temperature Of Altrincham Ice Rink
If you haven’t been to a hockey game before, you need to know that ice rinks are cold places (not a surprise!). And the closer you are to the ice, the colder you will be. Also, hockey rinks in the UK aren’t heated, so temperatures in the arena drop in line with outside temperatures.
We would rank the temperature of the Altrincham Ice Rink as colder than average for the UK.
Food And Drink At Altrincham Ice Rink
Altrincham Ice Rink doesn’t allow you to bring your own food and drink into the arena. However, you do have some options for buying refreshments.
There is a bar along the side of the rink. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have much seating, but you can take alcoholic drinks back to your seat in the stands.
There are also two refreshments counters. The first sells alcohol, and the second sells hot food (burgers, hotdogs, chips, etc.) and hot and cold soft drinks. Neither area has seating.
All of the above are located along the side of the rink, behind the player benches. Be warned that they get very busy on game nights, and queues can be long. So arrive in plenty of time if you want to get yourself a drink before the start of the game.
12 Best Ice Rink Activities To Do At Altrincham Ice Rink
Watching an ice hockey game is just one of many things to do at Altrincham Ice Rink. There is a wide range of ice rink activities on offer, including:
- Public ice skating sessions
- Ice skating lessons
- Show and skate lessons
- Ice hockey lessons
- Join a recreational ice hockey team.
- Join a women’s ice hockey team.
- Join a Para ice hockey team.
- Ice dancing or figure skating
- Speed skating
- Ice skating birthday parties
- Try an ice disco with music, a DJ and disco lights.
- Watch an ice show.
Skate Shop At Altrincham Ice Rink
The Storm Store has a physical shop at Altrincham ice rink, which sells ice skating and ice hockey equipment and merchandise for the Manchester Storm ice hockey team.
The Storm Store opening times are limited, but it will always be open on home game nights. You can also buy Machester Storm merchandise by visiting the Storm Store website.
Hotels Near Altrincham Ice Rink
A few reasonably priced hotels in Altrincham are within walking distance of the rink.
The closest is the Travelodge, which is a 5-10 minute walk from Planet Ice Altrincham. It is also in the town centre and close to shops, pubs and restaurants.
Other options are the Premier Inn Manchester Altrincham and the Best Western Cresta Court, both around a 15-minute walk from the rink.
Eating Out Near Altrincham Ice Rink
Finding somewhere to eat out after an evening hockey game can be difficult. Most Saturday games finish around 9:30 p.m. in Altrincham when many eateries are winding down. Here are some late-night options in Altrincham:
- Kathmandu Restaurant – Closes 11 pm – Nepalese and Indian food (our favourite)
- Panthong Thai Restaurant – Closes 11 pm – Thai food (highly rated)
- Domino’s Pizza – Closes 10:45 pm – For a takeout option.
Frequently Asked Question Altrincham Ice Rink
Is Silver Blades Altrincham the same as Planet Ice Altrincham?
Silver Blades and Planet Ice have a relationship going back many years. The current Ice Rink in Altrincham was previously known as Silver Blades Altrincham.
Over recent years, the Silver Blades brand has been consolidated into Planet Ice. The original Silver Blades Altrincham website will redirect you to Planet Ice Altrincham
When Did Planet Ice Altrincham Open?
Planet Ice Altrincham opened in February of 2007, and the first ice hockey match was played there on 25 February 2007. The rink replaced the previous Altrincham Ice Rink, which had closed in 2003. The rink took around 18 months to build and cost £2.5 million.
Where Can I Go Ice Skating in Manchester?
The closest ice rink to Manchester is in the centre of Altrincham. Planet Ice Altrincham offers public ice skating and is home to a number of ice-related sports clubs. The rink has a sizeable car park and is conveniently located next to Altrincham railway station.
Does Manchester have an Ice Rink?
No, it doesn’t. The closest ice rink to Manchester is in the centre of Altrincham.
Planet Ice Altrincham offers public ice skating and ice skating lessons and is home to a number of ice-related sports clubs. The rink has a sizeable car park and is conveniently located next to Altrincham railway station.
